Of course Zhao Hanzhang felt the more the better. She lowered her eyes to flip through the ledger also sent up from the granary—this one had been tallied.

Her lips curved as she said directly, “I think the number one thousand bushels sounds better.”

On this hot day, the county magistrate’s back was soaked with sweat, drops falling from his forehead. He said softly, “Wouldn’t that be… too much?”

“Too much?” Zhao Hanzhang leaned forward slightly, staring into his eyes. “Go tell Old Master Guan that the Guan family is already wealthy enough. Just to become even wealthier, they harmed countless lives. For only one thousand bushels of grain to atone—this is already my lightest judgment. If he’s dissatisfied, he can come to court and debate it with me.”

The county magistrate agreed fearfully, asking even more quietly, “What about… the others?”

“Release them all. Send people to properly escort them home,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “They’ve been inconvenienced these past two days. When I have free time, I will personally visit to apologize. Also, thank them for their help with Quyang. Without their assistance tallying the granary, the county town wouldn’t have stabilized so quickly.”

The county magistrate waited a while and, seeing she truly had no intention of taking the opportunity to extort those people, couldn’t help but quietly raise his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow at him. “Is there something else?”

The county magistrate quickly shook his head. “Nothing.”

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand. “If there’s nothing else, go. Escort them properly home. Oh, keep Old Master Guan a bit longer. Tell him to clean up the storeroom—when he delivers the thousand bushels, then send him home.”

The county magistrate agreed.

The gentlemen detained in the granary were restless. When they saw the county magistrate, they had no pleasant expressions. But soon, only astonishment remained on their faces.

If they had all been released equally, the resentment in their hearts toward Zhao Hanzhang would certainly have accumulated. But now there was one exception.

Not only did Old Master Guan have to continue being detained, he also had to produce one thousand bushels of grain, while they were respectfully escorted home and even thanked profusely…

Though they knew this might be Zhao Hanzhang’s scheme, they still couldn’t help developing some goodwill toward her and began finding excuses for her in their hearts.

“She at least understands propriety, knowing to personally visit and apologize later.” Master Mu removed his wrinkled clothing while humming twice.

Madam Mu: “…But she hasn’t come yet. Didn’t you write a letter saying she was like a bandit and told the family to go to Xiping to demand justice from the Zhao clan?”

“Cough, wasn’t that because we didn’t know each other well? By the way, did someone go to Xiping? If not, don’t bother.”

“They left long ago. As soon as the family received your letter, they went. They’re probably in Xiping by now. Should we send someone to clarify? Say it was a misunderstanding.”

“No need. What’s said is said. Actually, the words weren’t wrong—she really is like a bandit, but she does have principles as a person,” Master Mu shook his head. “Forget it, forget it. Let’s consider these two days of fear as suffering endured for Quyang County’s people. How is Quyang now?”

“Much better,” Madam Mu said. “The county office is opening the granaries for relief. Many poor people have gathered there with grain bags to receive relief grain. All the districts and streets have settled down, not as chaotic as before.”

Master Mu pondered for a moment before saying, “Have someone move one hundred bushels of grain from our storeroom to donate to the county office. Say it’s relief grain for the people.”

Madam Mu was surprised. “Isn’t that too much?”

Master Mu shook his head. “Zhao Hanzhang said something quite right—for us, this grain is just the difference between wealthy and wealthier, but for those people, it’s the difference between living and dying.”

Madam Mu didn’t persuade him further and agreed to prepare it.

Zhao Hanzhang was standing in front of the county office watching the guards distribute relief grain to the people.

The relief grain was distributed district by district. Fu Tinghan had arranged a schedule, and the district chief stood nearby. Everyone who came for relief grain brought their own grain bag and had to bring their household register, receiving corresponding relief grain based on their household size.

Front and back were all neighbors, with their district chief standing right in front. If anyone tried to fraudulently claim grain and neither the neighbors nor the district chief could point it out, they would all be jointly punished.

And Chen Wan and Xiang Yu stood watching nearby. From tallying grain leaving storage to distribution, the two each supervised two lines, keeping close watch throughout.

Because of these arrangements, the relief grain distribution had remained orderly so far, with no incidents occurring.

Zhao Hanzhang had just appeared at the county office entrance when many people below recognized her.

After all, many here had been among those surrounding the county office that night. So those who recognized her explained to those who didn’t, and soon everyone below knew the young woman standing above was the one giving them relief grain—essentially their savior.

So those who received grain knelt down facing Zhao Hanzhang’s direction and kowtowed once before leaving.

Zhao Hanzhang stepped forward in surprise. Seeing him stand up with his grain bag and leave, she stopped. But the person following him also knelt and kowtowed…

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes moistened slightly. She turned to leave, and turning around, she saw Fu Tinghan leaning against the main gate watching her.

Fu Tinghan smiled at her and came forward to take her hand, leading her down. “Since you’re here, why not help out?”

Zhao Hanzhang let him pull her down.

The two replaced the guards at the relief grain distribution station.

Fu Tinghan took the handed household register and asked, “Are there any children not on the register?”

The man was taken aback, then immediately nodded. “Yes, yes! I have a daughter, only two years old, not yet registered.”

Fu Tinghan turned to ask the district chief nearby, “Is that so?”

The district chief looked at the man and recognized him, nodding. “Yes, his household does have an unregistered child.”

Fu Tinghan calculated quickly in his head and told Zhao Hanzhang, “Give him eighty-five pounds.”

Zhao Hanzhang, with a guard’s help, weighed out eighty-five pounds and filled a bag to the brim.

The recipient was overjoyed, bowing repeatedly to Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan, especially to Zhao Hanzhang. Before shouldering his grain bag, he knelt down and kowtowed to Zhao Hanzhang. As Zhao Hanzhang came to help him up, he said loudly, “My lady, you deserve this kowtow. If not for you that night, even if we hadn’t died then, we would have starved to death these past two days.”

Zhao Hanzhang, who had done all this only to seize Quyang County’s governance, felt her mouth go dry with some shame. “You shouldn’t do this. I… I feel unworthy. Besides, it wastes time. Once you’ve received your grain, hurry along and let those behind come forward.”

Fu Tinghan smiled as he watched her.

Zhao Hanzhang’s face reddened slightly. “Everyone, please move faster so those behind can receive their grain more quickly. Some districts are scheduled for the next two days—they’ll go hungry.”

At these words, the man and those behind didn’t dare kowtow anymore. They quickly came forward to receive their relief grain.